The Baton of Genius.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2891, 6 February 1893, Page 2

The Baton of Genius.

Professor Marshall Hall, the Professor of Music in the University of Melbourne, under the late Mr Francis Ormond's bequest, is the hero of the hour. He is a a young man, full of enthusiasm for his art, who professes to be able to read all kinds of hidden motives in every note and bar of the musical classics, and who will lecture for hours on the •• emotional significance of Beethoven'a sonata." This mystic kind of stuff has not gone down ! With the general public, and Mr Marshall Hali has been set down as sort of crackI brained—the kind of young man whose brains run >o long hair. As he his never aired to hide hit) contempt for the musicial world ot Melbourne, tatutally the musical world has held him- in contempt. Mr Julius Herz, the conductor of the Metropolitan Liedertafel, has bet' himself particularly to demolish the prolessor, who has in turn given it to be plainly understood that he has regarded Mr Hetz's conducting as barbarous. But it is one thing to criticise other people's work, and another to show h>w the thing ought to be done ; and Mr Uerz and his fellows were never tired of challenging the professor to this test. At last the thing was brought about. Anorchestral concert was arranged, with the professor as conductor, and great *as the joy of the musical world. Thoir enemy was at last to be delivered into their hands. The newspaper critics, too, whetted their knives. The musical enthusiasts filled she Town Hall, and all wits expectancy Tin Professor, however, wiped the floor with all his enemies. Hu achieved a remarkable triumph. The programme comprised Beethoven's C minor symphony, Schubert's unfinished B minor symphony, and Wagner's " Lohengrin " prelude, nn« the entr'acte which ushers in the third act of the same work. The performance was a revelation, and Mr Marshall H*U't. conducting was as far ahead of Julius tierz's as it is possible to conceive. The ■' Argus " and the " Age " both speak ot the performance as a triumph and a " distinguished success." Professor Marshall Hall hus Melbourne at his feet. Later news from Melbourne contains the significant announcement that Mi Julius Heiz has resigned his position at conductor of the Royal (Melbourne; Metropolitan Ltedertafel in order to settle in Perth (Western Australia).